Portable shoring



March 9, 1954 T. c. NORTH PORTABLE SHORING 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Feb. 24, 1950 IN VEN TOR.

b- WW I March 9, 1954 "r. c. NORTH 2,671,697

PORTABLE SHORING Filed Feb. 24, 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN VEN TOR.

EZJf W Patented 9, 1954 PQRTABLE SHORING Thomas C. North, Zelienople, Pa., assignmto Universal Manufacturing Corp., Zelienople, Em, a corporation of Pennsylvania Application February 24, i956), Serial No. 146,034

l. Claim.

This invention relates to shoring for vertical loads in the building industry.

Such shoring is used as a temporary support for a floor or the like until the'floor is permanently supported in place by other means. Then the shoring is removed. For example, in pouring a concrete floor the forms are shored up by props and cross members until the concrete sets. Then the props are knocked out and the dismantled shoring is reassembled in a new location. A great amount of time and labor is required to erect and dismantle the shoring and to carry the pieces from one place to another. To save time on large jobs, a great deal of material is required so that new shoring can be built to avoid the delay that would be caused by taking down the old shoring, moving it and then reassembling it.

it is among the objects of this invention to provide shoring which is made from prefabricated sections that can be assembled in various sizes and disassembled quickly, which can be quickly moved from one location to another without dismantling, which is strong and durable and can be used indefinitely, and which is readily adjusted vertically.

In accordance with this invention, a plurality of vertical prefabricated frames are connected together by removable braces to hold the frames upright and in parallel relation. Each frame has a pair of parallel tubular legs rigidly connected at their upper ends by a horizontal cross member which is adapted to form a support for beams or other kinds of superstructure on which something is to rest. To make it possible to move the assembled frames and braces from one location to another without difliculty, casters are connected to each frame between its legs. The casters extend below the lower ends of the legs to support the frames. Slidably mounted in each leg and projecting from its lower end is a screwthreaded post, on the lower end of which there is a foot adapted to rest on the ground or other supporting surface. However, when the shoring is being moved from one location to another the posts are held far enough up in the legs to hold the feet above the bottoms of the casters so that they will not drag. Threaded on each post is a manually rotatable member that is adapted to bear against the lower end of the adjoining leg. When the shoring has been moved into the desired position, the posts are lowered in the legs until the feet rest on the ground, and the rotatable members are turned to raise the legs on the posts in order to jack up the frames so that their upper cross members will be disposed at the de-- 2 sired height. Each end frame can be formed from one or more panels. When two or more panels are used they are mounted on top of each other with their leg sections connected. Also, any desired number of end frames can be placed side by side.

The preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. l is an end view of my portable shoring;

Fig. 2 is a side view thereof;

Fig. 3 shows a lower panel supported by its casters; and

Fig. 4 is an enlarged vertical section through the lower part of one of the legs of Fig. 3, showing the vertically adjustable post.

Referring to the drawings, any desired number of vertical end frames l are held in upright parallel position by means of removable inclined side braces 2. Each of the end frames shown is formed from two prefabricated panels A and B mounted on top of each other. For low work, only the lower panel need be used, while for higher work the two panels shown can be separated by an intermediate "panel. The lower panel A has a pair of tubular legs 3 at its opposite ends. These legs are connected by horizontal cross members 4. Secured to one side of the cross members between the main legs 3 is a pair of auxiliary vertical legs 6. Connected to the lower ends of the auxiliary legs are swivel mounted casters 1 which extend below the main legs for supporting the panel so that it can be rolled along the ground or other supporting surface. The ends of each brace 2 extend downward through sleeves 8 attached to the sides of legs 3.

Each upper panel B likewise has a pair of legs I l which rest on top of the main legs of the lower panel. Plugs ii are mounted in the lower ends of the upper legs and project down into the upper ends of the lower legs to hold the superimposed legs in alignment with each other. The lower ends of upper legs H are connected by a horizontal cross member 83, while their upper ends are connected by another horizontal cross member M which rests on top of them and projects from the opposite ends of the panel. Slidably mounted in each end of this upper cross member is a horizontal extension member l6 which projects from it. The outer end of each extension member carries a sleeve ll to give it the same diameter as the upper cross member and to receive a similar extension member projecting from the top of another end frame beside it when it is desired to increase the width of the shoring.

The outer ends of the extension members are supported by inclined braces l8 rigidly connected to the upper panel legs. The upper ends of these braces are connected to the extension members by clamps 19 so that those members can be pulled out of cross member ll any desired distance. The upper cross members and the sleeves 11 carried by their extension members are adapted to support a superstructure. If a concrete floor 2| is to be laid, for example, the superstructure may consist of wooden beams 22 extending lengthwise of the shoring and supporting plywood sheets 23, onto which the concrete can be poured.

In order to raise the superstructure to the desired height and to prevent the load that will be imposed on the shoring from being taken by the casters, screw-threaded posts 25 are slidably mounted in the lower ends of the main legs 3 of the lower panels. Each post has a foot 26 on its lower end to distribute the pressure over a greater-area. Threaded on each post is a nut 21 provided with radially projecting handles 28 by which it can be turned. In order to keep the feet from dragging on the ground when the shoring is being moved about on its casters, the nuts are turned on the posts to permit the posts to be raised up into the main legs until the feet are above the bottoms of the casters. For holding the feet in their elevated position, the top of each nut may be provided rigidly with an upwardly extending sleeve 29 that loosely encircles the lower end of the adjoining leg. Threaded in the sleeve is a set screw 30 which can be tightened against the leg to hold the nut up against the lower end of the leg:

When the shoring has been rolled into position and it is desired to jack it up, the set screws 30 are loosened so that the posts 25 can drop until their feet strike the ground. The nuts 21 then are run up the posts until they strike the lower ends of leg 3. Further rotation of the nuts in the same direction causes them to slide the legs up the threaded posts and thereby lift the casters from the ground. The nuts are turned until the superstructure on top of the shoring is at the desired height. The casters therefore bear no weight while the superstructure is in working position. After the concrete which has been poured on top of the superstructure has hardened, the nuts are rotated in the opposite directionto permit the legs 3 to slide down the posts until the casters again reach the ground and take the weight of the shoring. The nuts are rim down the posts until they reach the feet. Then the nuts are lifted to cause sleeves 29 to encircle the lower ends of the legs, whereupon the set screws are tightened against the legs to hold the nuts, posts and feet in their elevated positions above the bottoms of the casters (Figs. 3 and 4) so that the shoring can be rolled to a new location and quickly elevated into position.

It takes only a few minutes to lower and raise this shoring, and it can quickly be rolled in any direction to a new location without being dismantled. The original assembly and the final disassembly of the shoring on any job likewise requires only a few minutes, because of its prefabricated end panels and easily connected braces. There is no waste of shoring material, as there is where wooden posts and cross members have to be nailed together and knocked apart. The height of the shoring is readily adjusted. Also, the length and width of the unit can be increased by simply adding more end frames and braces.

According to the provisions of the patent statutes, I have explained the principle of my invention and have illustrated and described what I now consider to represent its best embodiment. However, I desire to have it understood that, within the scope of the appended claim, the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically illustrated and described.

I claim:

An end panel for use in portable shoring, said panel comprising a pair of parallel tubular main legs rigidly connected by cross members, a pair of parallel vertical auxiliary legs secured to said cross members between the main legs, casters connected to the lower ends of the auxiliary legs and extending below the main legs to support the frame so that it can be rolled from one location to another, a screw threaded post slidably mounted in each main leg and projecting from its lower end, a foot mounted on the lower end of the post, a manually rotatable member threaded on each post and adapted to bear against the lower end of the adjoining leg, a collar secured to the top of said rotatable member and adapted to loosely encircle said adjoining leg and rotatable with the rotatable member, and a set screw threaded in the collar and adapted to be tightened against the encircled leg to hold the rotatable member up against the lower end of the leg so that the adjoining post and foot can be held above the bottom of the casters; rotation of said rotatable members, after said set screws have been loosened and the feet have dropped to the level of the bottom of the casters, causing the main legs to be raised on the posts to jack up the panel.

THOMAS C. NORTH.

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